The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printing machine that thermally transfers image information from an information carrying medium (e.g. ink ribbon, re-transfer film after print, etc.) to a printing medium (e.g. printing paper, re-transfer film before print, etc.). In the thermal transfer printing machine, when the image information is transferred, the information carrying medium and the printing medium are pinched between a thermal print head and a rotatable platen roller. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thermal transfer printing machine having the thermal print head whose position is selectively changeable between first and second transfer positions.
As an example of such thermal transfer printing machines, it is known a thermal printing machine that adopts an ink ribbon, as an information carrying medium, in which fusible or sublimation multicolor inks [e.g. yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and if necessary black (B)] are applied on a ribbon base with a long band shape, sequentially in the longitudinal direction, and a printing paper as a printing medium. In this thermal printing machine, the operation of transferring the multicolor inks from the ink ribbon to the printing paper is accomplished by a thermal print head generating heat corresponding to image signals for respective colors. In transferring, the ink ribbon and the printing paper are laid to overlap each other between the thermal print head and a rotatable platen roller. Note here that the transfer operation is repeated with respect to each color.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-145846 (patent document 1) discloses a modification of the above-mentioned thermal transfer printing machine. In the modification, a printer is constructed so as to use two kinds of inks, allowing not only normal color printing but also special printing, such as metallic luster printing.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-238753 (patent document 2) discloses another example of the thermal transfer printing machines. This thermal printing machine adopts an ink ribbon, as an information carrying medium, in which fusible or sublimation multicolor inks [e.g. yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and if necessary black (B)] are applied on a ribbon base with a long band shape, sequentially in the longitudinal direction, and a re-transfer film, as a printing medium, in which a release layer and a transparent receiving layer are applied on a film base with a long band shape, in lamination. In this thermal printing machine, the operation of transferring the multicolor inks from the ink ribbon to the re-transfer film is accomplished by a thermal print head generating heat corresponding to image signals for respective colors. In transferring, the ink ribbon and the re-transfer film are laid to overlap each other between the thermal print head and a rotatable platen roller. Note here that the transfer operation is repeated with respect to each color, forming a color-image layer on the transparent receiving layer of the re-transfer film. Next, the color-image layer is peeled off from the release layer of the re-transfer film by a re-transfer heat roller, and further transferred to a printing paper, for example, card. Consequently, the card is printed with so-peeled image information such as characters and images. Such a thermal transfer printing machine is called the “re-transfer type printing machine”.
FIG. 1 is a view showing the overall constitution of a printer disclosed in the patent document 1. While, FIG. 2 is a structural view showing a re-transfer type printing machine disclosed in the patent document 2.
In FIG. 1, the printer 100 denotes a printer disclosed in the patent document 1. We now explain the structure of the printer 100 with reference to the patent citation 1 in brief.
In this printer 100, a printing paper 102 wound around a reel 101 is taken out by a feed roller 103 and further fed by a plurality of transfer rollers 104 arranged along a transfer route. Then the so-fed printing paper 102 with a predetermined length is cut off by a cutter 106 in the vicinity of a guide plate 105 on the downstream side. Below the cutter 106, a collection box 107 is arranged in order to collect cutting pieces (printing papers) produced by the cutter 106.
Along the transfer route for the printing paper 102, there are provided a first printing unit 110 and a second printing unit 120 in order from the upstream side to the downstream side.
In the printing unit 110, a first ink ribbon 115 and the printing paper 102 in their overlapped state are fed in between a first thermal print head 111 and a first rotatable platen roller 112. Here, the first ink ribbon 115 is provided by applying a plurality of color inks (e.g. yellow, magenta, cyan, etc.) on a ribbon base repeatedly, and is wound around a pair of reels 113, 114.
Similarly, in the second printing unit 120 on the downstream side of the first printing unit 110, a second ink ribbon 125 and the printing paper 102 in their overlapped state are fed in between a second thermal print head 121 and a second rotatable platen roller 122. Here, the second ink ribbon 125 is provided by evaporating various pigments of gold, silver, metallic colors on a ribbon base, and is wound around a pair of reels 123, 124.
The first and second thermal print heads 111, 121 are constructed so as to be accessible to and separable from the first and second platen rollers 112, 122, respectively.
We now explain the operation of the above-constructed printer 100. When activating the first printing unit 110 on the establishment of the second printing unit 120 in its inactivated condition, the color printing onto the printing paper 102 is effected by feeding the first ink ribbon 115 and the printing paper 102 in between the first thermal print head 111 and the first platen roller 112 while rotating it in the direction of an illustrated arrow. Then, the printing paper 102 shuttles on the first platen roller 112 by several times, so that several inks are superimposed on an identical area on the printing paper 102, accomplishing the color printing.
Subsequently, when activating the second printing unit 120 on the establishment of the first printing unit 110 in its inactivated condition, the metallic printing onto the color-printed printing paper 102 is effected by feeding the second ink ribbon 125 and the printing paper 102 in between the second thermal print head 121 and the second platen roller 122 while rotating it in the direction of an illustrated arrow. In this way, the color printing and the metallic printing are finally applied on the printing paper 102.
In FIG. 2, a printing machine 200 illustrated therein is disclosed in the patent document 2. We now explain the structure of the printing machine 200 with reference to the patent citation 2 in brief.
In this printing machine 200, as shown at the right of FIG. 2, an ink ribbon 201 is wound off from a supply reel 202 and wound up to a take-up reel 203 while guided by a plurality of guide shafts 204. Note that this ink ribbon 201 is produced by repeatedly applying a plurality of fusible (or sublimatic) color inks (e.g. yellow, magenta, cyan, and if necessary black) on a ribbon base with a long band shape along its longitudinal direction. In the vicinity of an exit of the supply reel 202 having the ink ribbon 201 wound thereon, there is an ink ribbon sensor 205 for cueing. A thermal print head 206 is arranged between the supply reel 202 and the take-up reel 203.
At the left of the figure, a re-transfer film 211 within a long band shape is taken out from a supply reel 212 and wound up to a take-up reel 213 while guided by a plurality of guide shafts 214. Further, in the vicinity of an exit of the supply reel 212 having the re-transfer film 211 wound thereon, there is a film sensor 215 for cueing. Between the supply reel 212 and the take-up reel 213, a rotatable platen roller 216 is arranged so as to oppose the thermal head 206.
Either the thermal print head 206 or the platen roller 216 is adapted so as to be accessible to and separable from the other. With the rotation of the platen roller 216 in the direction of an illustrated arrow, the ink ribbon 201 and the re-transfer film 211 are transferred in between the thermal print head 206 and the platen roller 216 while laid to overlap each other.
On the side of the re-transfer film 211, a re-transfer film transporter 217 is arranged on the downstream side of the platen roller 216. The re-transfer film transporter 217 has a function of transferring the re-transfer film toward the take-up reel 213 by a film length corresponding to a predetermined transfer area.
Below the take-up reel 203 for ink ribbon, there are provided four card-loading rollers 222 for supplying a card (printing paper) 221, in vertical and horizontal arrangement. Due to these card-loading rollers 222, the card 221 is transferred in the direction of an illustrated arrow.
On the side of the re-transfer film 211, there are arranged a re-transfer heat roller 218 and a re-transfer opposing roller 219, both of which are rotatable on the downstream side of the re-transfer film transporter 217. The re-transfer heat roller 218 is adapted so as to be accessible and separable with respect to the re-transfer opposing roller 219 on the drive side, through a not-shown rotating arm. Between the re-transfer heat roller 218 and the re-transfer opposing roller 219, the re-transfer film 211 and the card 221 are laid to overlap each other and also transferred while pinched between the re-transfer heat roller 218 and the re-transfer opposing roller 219.
Further, a pair of card-unloading rollers 223, 223 for discharging the card 221 are rotatably arranged on the downstream side of the re-transfer heat roller 218 and the re-transfer opposing roller 219.
According to the patent citation 2, the re-transfer type printing machine 200 operates as follows.
First, between the thermal print head 206 and the rotatable platen roller 216, the ink ribbon 201 and the re-transfer film 211 (before print) are laid to overlap each other. While the re-transfer film transporter 217 on the downstream side of the platen roller 216 transfers the re-transfer film 211 of a predetermined length, respective colored inks applied on the ink ribbon 201 are transferred on the re-transfer film 211, repeatedly with respect to each color, due to heat generated from the thermal print head 206 receiving image signals for respective colors. In this way, the re-transfer film 211 is provided, in its designated transfer area, with a colored image layer. Subsequently, due to thermo-compression by the re-transfer heat roller 218 and the re-transfer opposing roller 219, the colored image layer is peeled away from the release layer of the re-transfer film 211 and further transferred onto the card 221 again.